
Last year in the UK over 60,000 cancer patients enrolled on clinical trials aimed at improving cancer treatments and making them available to all.
This study was to see if there was a link between the body’s ability to repair its damaged cells, and how it responded to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A cell becomes cancerous when the genetic instructions (DNA) inside its control centre () tell the cell to divide, but not when to stop. These cells continue to divide out of control and eventually form a lump which we call cancer.
Radiotherapy, and some chemotherapy, works by damaging DNA so that the cell can’t divide anymore. But these treatments can also damage DNA in healthy cells. This is why people may have side effects such as hair loss with chemotherapy, or sore skin with radiotherapy.
Some cells use a protein (‘enzyme’) called ‘PARP 1’ to help repair their damaged DNA. This may mean that the cell can survive anti cancer therapy. It may also affect the side effects people have, or how well treatment works. People have different levels of the PARP 1 enzyme. Researchers looked at the level of PARP 1 before the start of treatment. They also looked at blood and tissue samples. They linked the level of enzyme found to information about people’s treatment and any side effects they may have had.
The aim of this study was to see if there was a link between PARP 1 levels, chemotherapy and radiotherapy side effects.
The study team found that the level of the PARP 1 enzyme did not affect side effects of treatment.
This study recruited 56 healthy volunteers and 118 people with cancer. The researchers took a blood sample from each person.
They looked at the level of PARP 1 in each sample. They also looked at the side effects of treatment.
The study team concluded that there was no link between the level of the PARP 1 enzyme and the side effects of treatment.
We have based this summary on information from the team who ran the trial. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists () but may not have been published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the trial team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Dr Ruth Plummer
Association for International Cancer Research (AICR)
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
Northern Institute for Cancer Research
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
Last year in the UK over 60,000 cancer patients enrolled on clinical trials aimed at improving cancer treatments and making them available to all.